Cardiff Lib Dems force Council vote on rebuilding Heath Hospital

Cardiff councillors will on Thursday (26th March) be asked to back calls to rebuild the city's deteriorating hospital, as they vote on a motion proposed by two of the city's Liberal Democrat Senedd candidates that highlights growing concerns about the state of the buildings and its impact on patient care.

The motion, calling on the next Welsh Government to deliver a clear, funded plan to replace the University Hospital of Wales, will be proposed by Cllr Rodney Berman and Cllr Joe Carter, who are both also Lib Dem Senedd candidates for Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf this May.

Cardiff's Lib Dems were the first party to campaign for a fix for Heath Hospital, with over 1,200 people having already signed the party's petition calling for an urgent solution to the decaying state of the building.

The crumbling state of the hospital's buildings has been well-documented. A consultant at the hospital recently told ITV Wales News it was "not fit for purpose", stating that he had witnessed multiple sewage leaks and that operations are often delayed or cancelled because of ventilation problems.

A recent report from the Wales NHS Confederation says the NHS estate is in “desperate need of extensive repairs and long-term investment”, with the Welsh Labour Government having allowed the maintenance backlog across NHS Wales to reach nearly £1 billion.

Cllr Rodney Berman, lead Liberal Democrat Senedd Candidate for Caerdydd Ffynnon Taf, said:

“Cardiff residents deserve healthcare facilities that are safe, modern, and fit for the 21st century. The current state of the Heath Hospital is simply unacceptable — not just for patients, but for the dedicated staff who work there every day. 

“We cannot allow years of deterioration and delay to continue holding back the standard of care our city needs. By backing our motion, Cardiff councillors can send a clear signal that our city deserves top-class NHS services - not hospital buildings falling apart at the seams.

"Where Labour has let our hospital fall into disrepair and failed to come up with a plan to fix it, Liberal Democrats will make sure whoever leads the next Welsh Government commits to rebuilding UHW. That's why it's vital that people in Cardiff and across Wales vote to elect Liberal Democrat Senedd Members this May.”